


three eggs equals four kids

by acaciapines



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Gen, Post-Season Finale, idk how della got back it doesnt matter for the purposes of the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 11:08:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15907059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acaciapines/pseuds/acaciapines
Summary: The thing is, even if Della stayed, Donald would've been the better parent. But that doesn't mean Della isn't going to try her best.





	three eggs equals four kids

When Della was told twins would have to share everything, she didn’t think it would apply to her kids.             

That doesn’t mean she’s mad at Donald, even if he’s more of a parent than she could ever be. He was doing his best with the situation he was handed, and so is she. She’s mad at herself, never Donald.

That’s a lie. She’s been mad at her brother many, many times, and now that she’s back to annoy and be annoyed by him, she’ll be mad at him thousands of times, over stupid, inconsequential things like she was before she left. But never about this. Never about her kids. She’s not that bad of a person.

She’d imagined, up on the moon, what her kids were like. Who those three eggs hatched into, what kinds of people they’d be, if they’d love or hate or never know about her. Which of the three would be worse.

It turns out she was wrong about a lot of things. Firstly, the number of kids she had.

But she can’t just ask ‘hey, is one of you not my biological kid,’ because she abandoned them, even if she didn’t mean to, and asking that would just hurt everybody. Besides, they all treat each other as siblings: call each other brother and sister, tease each other, and remind Della of her and Donald so much it hurts, like a gnawing headache behind her eye. So what if one of the kids was adopted in later? It’s just as likely that one of the eggs hatched into two ducklings.

Della’s not going to be the one to mess her family up, not this time. Not again.

So she’s spending time with her kids, one-on-one, because she wants to know more about them than their names and what Donald told her. Today’s she’s hanging out with her only daughter, Webby. According to Donald, she reminds him of her the most.

Webby’s surprisingly difficult to find. When she asked her other kids, Louie just said that he last saw Webby when she was eating pancakes off his plate, Huey didn’t say anything, and she can’t even find Dewey, either.

It hurts, really. That her own kids don’t trust her. The thing is, even if Della stayed, even if that trip to space went as planned, Donald would’ve still been the better parent. Della’s rushing ahead, recklessness, adventure bleeding out of her wounds and pride, while Donald was the cautious one, offering bandages and stopping her from running off cliffs. Maybe that makes him the better adventurer, too. Della’s not sure if that or the parenting thing hurts her worse.

Della thinks while she wanders the mansion looking for Webby. Recently, she’s been wondering which of her kids were the two that hatched from the same egg. She could ask, but asking is like giving in and admitting that she screwed up. This stuff should be second-nature to her. She shouldn’t have to ask her brother what her own children look like.

But finally, she comes across Webby, who’s staring out a window and fidgeting with a bracelet around her wrist. “Hi, Webby,” Della says as she enters the room, and the girl startles, spinning around to face her.

“You?” Webby asks, “I thought you were gonna be with Dewey. You haven’t talked to him like you did Huey and Louie.”

“I haven’t talked to you, either,” Della says, “c’mon. Let’s go wander the grounds and talk. I want to get to know you!”

“Why?” Webby asks, and then flushes red. “Um. That sounded really mean. But you already know about me. And I know about you. Kinda. Louie told me what you talked about together. Huey didn’t, but he didn’t tell anyone so I don’t feel bad about it. Just…why me and not Dewey? Why is he last?”

“It’s fine,” Della says. Talking to her kids? Very difficult. It shouldn’t be difficult, but there’s nothing Della can do but keep pushing forwards. “And…I’m not talking to you in any particular order? I’m kinda just…whoever I come across first. I couldn’t find Dewey.”

“Oh, right, he’s hiding from you,” Webby says, and then covers her beak with her hands. She looks down and doesn’t say anything.

Great. This is going great. Della’s been back in her kids’ lives for less than a week and one of them is already avoiding her. If only she never went on that ship, right?

That’s not fair to her. She was going to come back. She was going to come back with stories about space and she was going to be there and everything just went wrong. One big mistake. One big mistake that’s all her fault.

“Well!” Della says, “let’s just pretend the last five minutes didn’t happen, okay? A do-over. So. Webby, I want to get to know you better. Do you want to go wandering with me?”

Webby blinks, nods, and hops down from the windowsill. “Okay,” she says, “okay. Just talking. I can do that.”

Della leads the way out of the mansion and onto the grounds, which are still just as large as she remembers. Hanging out with Webby isn’t any less awkward than hanging out with Huey or Louie was, and if Dewey’s apparently avoiding her, that interaction probably won’t go much better than the first few.

At least Huey just asked her a bunch of questions. That was easier than Louie crying on her. Della’s never had to deal with kids, and it’s…she still has no idea what she’s doing. Maybe it would be smarter to ask Donald for help, but that’s admitting out loud that she’s failed as a parent, and Della? She’s a lot of things, but she’s not a quitter. She can do this no matter how weird it is.

“So…” Della starts, “how’s life?”

“Kinda bad,” Webby says, “I really miss my best friend and everything is changing too fast for me to keep up.” She kicks at a rock with her foot. “What was it like on the moon?”

“Boring. Lonely. Really empty,” Della says. “I talked to myself a lot. Had a bunch of imaginary conversations with my brother.”

“Oh,” Webby says, “um…how did you deal with it?”

“With which part?” Della asks.

“The lonely part,” Webby says. She’s taken the bracelet off, and is rubbing it between two of her fingers. From what Della can tell, it’s handmade. Maybe it has something to do with the friend Webby’s missing.

“Not great?” Della says. “I never wasn’t lonely, so it was a constant ache in the background. But talking to myself helped. Why do you ask? Are you lonely?”

“Sorta,” Webby says, “I guess I have Huey, Dewey, and Louie, but they’re different. It’s…um, you know how Magica came back?”

“Yeah, Donald told me,” Della says. God. Of course her kids were involved in that.

“My best friend died for me,” Webby says, staring down at her feet, “I think I…I dunno. I miss her and I feel like I shouldn’t be complaining about it anymore ‘cause it was a while ago and now you’re back and it’s like everyone’s moved on to being confused about you.”

“You’re allowed to be sad about things,” Della says, “like…my girlfriend was the moon goddess and she never bothered to check for me on the moon. I’m still mad about that. I’m mad about a lot of things. Mostly at myself.”

Webby pauses, and looks up at Della. “But why? Mr. McDu—Uncle Scroo—uh, him, he built the ship. He told you to keep going and not turn back. Isn’t all of this his fault?”

“Nothing’s that simple,” Della says, and she stops, looking around for somewhere to sit. She can’t be standing if she’s having this kind of talk. Luckily, there’s a bench nearby, and she guides Webby over to it. They sit and Della continues. “It’s partly his fault, sure, but I can’t put all the blame on Uncle Scrooge. That’s unfair to you guys. I still took the ship. I still kept going. I still left.”

“Oh,” Webby says, “I…I was hoping you blamed him for everything.”

“Did something happen between you two?” Della asks. There’s definitely something else going on here, but like so many things involving the kids, she wasn’t there to see it. But she’s here now, and hell if she isn’t going to do her best to help.

“Oh, Granny already yelled at him. And Uncle Donald. So it’s fine.” Webby says, and even Della can tell she’s lying.

“I can’t believe Donald didn’t tell me this, but if he’s yelling at Scrooge then it’s probably for a good reason,” Della mutters, more to herself. She told Donald to tell her about her kids, not to keep things like this from her. She’s mad at her Uncle Scrooge, sure, but if he apparently hurt her daughter? Della can’t just…not know about that.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” Webby says, and the two of them are quiet, for a while. Webby sits on the bench and stares into space, and Della thinks. About her kids, about her brother, about how her family is broken in more ways than just those she caused.

She can’t fix the past. She can try to fix the now, but that’s never going to fully heal what she did to her kids. There’s always going to be that hurt. Della’s just going to have to be okay with that. To know she’s doing her best and that maybe, one day, things will be better. Not perfect, never perfect, but better.

“Why are you doing this?” Webby asks, startling Della out of her thoughts.

“Because you four deserve it,” Della says, and she wants to close her eyes and pretend the rest of the world is gone, but she doesn’t. This is something she did and this is something she’ll have to live with forever. “It’s my fault you guys don’t have a mom, and I can’t just say sorry and pretend that’s enough.”

Webby freezes, wide-eyed.

“It’s true,” Della says, and she reaches out to pull her daughter closer. Webby doesn’t protest, just lets herself flop against Della’s side. She’s limp and seems shell-shocked, if Della’s being honest. Probably not a great Mom Move™.

Webby shivers against her, and Della can hear the tremble in her voice. “I’m not…” Webby starts, but she stops. Stares off into the distance. Clenches the bracelet like it’s the only thing keeping her from collapsing.

She struggles, pulls herself free, and backs away from Della. “You’re being…nice.”

“I should hope so,” Della says, “I did leave my kids thinking their mom was dead.”

“But you didn’t mean to abandon them,” Webby says, blinking.

“You too,” Della adds. That’s what gets Webby crying, and Della has absolutely no idea what to do with Webby other than pull her into another hug. “Nothing is ever going to change the fact that I left,” Della whispers. Is this helping? Maybe? Hopefully? “I planned to come back, but that’s not what happened. Intent doesn’t change the consequences. I still hurt my entire family.”

“Oh,” Webby says, and the tears stop. She shakes herself, looks up at Della with red eyes. “You did hurt them.”

“Um,” Della says. This conversation is not going the way she thought it would. Well, nothing’s been going the way she thought it would. Talking to yourself and talking to the actual real people are two very different things.

“I’m not your daughter,” Webby says, and then everything comes tumbling out of her. “At first I wanted to say something but Dewey said it didn’t matter and I kinda believed him but the longer it went on the worse I felt ‘cause I was lying? And it doesn’t really…just ‘cause they’re my brothers doesn’t make you my mom—”

“What?” Della asks, but Webby keeps going.

“—and it just kept going on and on and on and everyone kept saying it was fine and we were family but that’s not how it works! You have to choose to be family! And I was lying to you and that’s bad! And wrong! And maybe lying was easier in a way, but it was all I was thinking about and—”

“So my first theory was right…” Della mutters, mostly to herself, “they did just adopt themselves a sibling…”

“—Louie said I should tell you but I was scared kinda so—wait, did you say first theory?” Webby pauses, words catching in her throat. “You knew?”

“Well, I knew I had three eggs,” Della says, “I first thought that maybe one of you was a really good friend, but then I realized that you were all way to close for it to be friendship, and it’s not unheard of for one egg to hatch into two ducklings. I mean, that’s what happened with me and Donald.”

“You…why didn’t you just ask someone?” Webby tilts her head. “You didn’t think it was weird? That I don’t look like you?”

“Well, you act like me,” Della says, and laughs, a little. Of course the one kid not biologically related to her is the one most like her. Just goes to show how little blood has to do with it. “I just…I already ruined this family. I didn’t want to go up and ask if one of you wasn’t my kid. That would be awful. I should know this stuff already.”

“I’m sorry,” Webby says. She pulls herself away from Della and wipes at her eyes. “I’m really sorry. I just made everything confusing...”

“No!” Della says, shaking her head, “no, none of this was your fault, okay? You’re just a kid. All four of you are just kids, and nothing that happened was because of you. I took a risk and everything that could go wrong went wrong. You don’t owe me any apologies. I wasn’t here.”

“But I made you think I was your daughter,” Webby says, “I knew that was a lie and I still let you think it.”

Della takes a deep breath. Time to do some parenting…and not mess up and ruin her relationship with her…well, her daughter. Adopted, biological, whatever. Webby’s been adopted into the family, and Della has no right to undo that. “Are Huey, Dewey, and Louie your brothers?” she asks.

“Yeah,” Webby says, and when she says it there’s no hesitation. “They are.”

“And they’re my sons,” Della says, “so you’re my daughter. I wasn’t…you might’ve been adopted into this family, but that doesn’t make you any less family than if you were born into it. Maybe when I left I had three eggs, but now? I have four kids. I wasn’t there to be a mother and now that I’m back I can’t just…pick-and-choose who my kids are. It doesn’t work like that.”

Webby laughs, but there’s tears at the corners of her eyes. “I was so _scared_ ,” she says, “and it was all for nothing…” She snorts, shakes herself. “I dunno what I thought would happen,” she says, “'cause, like, even if you said you weren’t and never would be my mom…they’re my brothers. That’s not gonna change.”

“I’m sorry I made you feel you couldn’t tell me,” Della says, “that’s on me. Do you want to call it a day?”

“Yeah,” Webby says, and she stands, grabbing Della’s hand when it’s offered to her. “But to be sure…you’re okay with being my mom?”

“I am,” Della says. Webby smiles up at her, and they walk back to the mansion in silence, but it’s comfortable, now. Like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. Now that Webby’s not terrified Della’s gonna find out she’s not her daughter by blood, she’s relaxed, curious.

Webby deserves the world, probably. All of Della’s kids do. And she’s gonna to her best to give it to them.

* * *

The boys are waiting for Webby at the entrance of the mansion, so Della hangs back as Webby runs up to them.

“How’d it go with Mom?” Louie asks once Webby slides to a stop in front of the boys. “Weird? Awkward? Kinda terrible?”

“I dunno,” Webby says, “I guess mostly weird? But in a good way. Mom dated or is currently dating the moon goddess. I’m not sure if they’re still together or not.”

Della would also like to know if she and Selene are still together, but that’s not important right now. She’s…she started the day thinking she had four kids, and she ended the day with four kids. Nothing’s changed, not really, just the context.

Webby thought she was going to reject her. That still stings. That’s probably gonna sting forever, if Della’s being honest.  

“You mean we met Mom’s ex-girlfriend/current girlfriend and she didn’t even tell us?” Dewey asks, and he snorts. “Figures. Everyone just wanted it to be more complicated for us.”

“I still can’t believe you met a literal goddess and didn't tell us,” Huey mutters, and then says, “woah, wait, our mom _dated_ a goddess?”

“Yeah, keep up,” Dewey says, “we had a moment and everything and Selene still didn’t tell us!”

“Maybe it was hard for her,” Webby says, “or…maybe she knew all along.”

Della sighs. She hopes Selene knew nothing. That Selene didn’t leave her trapped on the moon. She probably didn’t know, but Della’s scared to ask and find out that Selene left her to rot.

“Hey, Webs,” Louie says, and he pokes her in the side, causing Webby to swat at him. “you called her Mom.”

“Oh,” Webby says. She rubs her bracelet. “Yeah. I told her. And she was…it was okay. Well, better than okay. She said that…that I’m your sister and that makes me her daughter, blood or no blood.”

“Who wouldn’t want to adopt you?” Dewey says, nudging Webby with an elbow. “Besides, it’s like…Mom wasn’t there when we adopted you into the family, so she has to…accept it? I dunno. Something like that.”

“Thanks, Dewey,” Webby says, and then adds: “oh, uh…I kindaaa told Mom you were avoiding her on accident…sorry.”

“Webby!” Dewey yelps, “that was—I—”

He’s cut off by Louie. “Oh, yeah, I told her too, probably,” he says, “though I’m not sure she heard? Like I said, hanging out with Mom was kinda terrible. Look forward to that.”

“Why didn’t you tell me two days ago?” Dewey says, turning on his brother. “Ugh. Fine. Whatever. Lets just…go watch TV or something.”

“You’ll have to talk to her eventually, Dewey,” Huey says. He says something else, but her kids are already moving, and soon they’re out of Della’s sight.

She might never be as good a parent as her brother, she might have thousands of relationships to repair, and she might have no idea what she’s doing, but that doesn’t mean Della’s not going to try her best.

Because, hey, when has Della ever been one for giving up?

**Author's Note:**

> i didn't think i was going to write this. i thought the idea of della coming back like wait...four? would be funny, but while driving back home from alabama, passing cow pasture after cow pasture, i was hit with like five scenes of this and now it's a completed story. 
> 
> anyway. i think the thing with the spear of selene was a shitty thing but also just a super big accident. della wanted to come back. she didn't mean to abandon her kids, but everything went terribly wrong. was it reckless to go to space? maybe. but she wasn't ever gonna ditch her kids. i do also think that della would blame herself for the situation (just like scrooge blames himself), and that the hurt and mixed emotions her kids feel towards her are okay. this is a bad situation for everyone. nobody won. 
> 
> idk how long after the finale this takes place, but no longer than like...half a year or so. webby still doesn't know how to feel about scrooge since he said she wasn't family, but she and donald are cool. nobody really knows how to feel about della. 
> 
> but yeah. let webby have the family she deserves.


End file.
